Ben Huh (@benhuh) founded the Cheezburger Network in 2007 and grew it into one of the largest humor networks in the world in less than two years — while making a profit during one of the deepest recessions.

Ben credits the success of his company to the users and fans who create the content and those who started the sites he acquired, such as icanhascheezburger.com and failblog.org. His goal is to make the world happy for 5-minutes a day.

Panel: Socializing Content: How to Make Readers Passionate About Your Content

Robert Scoble

Robert Scoble (@scobleizer) is an American blogger, technical evangelist, and author. Scoble is best known for his blog, Scobleizer, which came to prominence during his tenure as a technology evangelist at Microsoft. He is married to Maryam Ghaemmaghami Scoble. He has three children; one from a previous marriage and two with Maryam. He currently works for Rackspace and the Rackspace sponsored community site Building 43. He previously worked for Fast Company as a video blogger. He is also the co-author of Naked Conversations: How Blogs are Changing the Way Businesses Talk with Customers with Shel Israel.

Panel: Socializing Content: How to Make Readers Passionate About Your Content

Brian Solis

Brian Solis (@briansolis) is globally recognized as one of the most prominent thought leaders and published authors in new media. A digital analyst, sociologist, and futurist, Solis has influenced the effects of emerging media on the convergence of marketing, communications, and publishing. He is principal of FutureWorks, an award-winning New Media and business strategy consultancy in Silicon Valley, and has led interactive and social programs for Fortune 500 companies, notable celebrities, and Web 2.0 startups. BrianSolis.com is among the world’s leading business and marketing online resources.

Panel: Influence & Reach: “This word influence, I don’t think it means what you think it means. How to get brands know that you’re the right person to help them!”

Lee Odden

Lee Odden (@leeodden) is the CEO of TopRank Online Marketing, a digital marketing agency specializing in strategic internet marketing consulting, training and implementation services including: Content, Search, Email and Social Media Marketing. As an active thought leader in the search marketing industry, Lee’s contributed to top industry publications such as Mashable, iMedia Connection and MediaPost along with publishing Online Marketing Blog, recognized by Advertising Age as one of the top marketing blogs on the web.

Panel:

Social Media Optimization: The Art & Science of Social SEO for Food Content (or Recipe Content)

Jane Goldman

Jane Goldman is VP and editor-in-chief of CBS Interactive’s Entertainment & Lifestyle division, including the award-winning CHOW.com, an online food site. Jane founded CHOW as a print magazine in 2004; it was acquired by CNET (now CBS Interactive) in 2006.

Before CHOW, she was editor of the Industry Standard, the magazine that chronicled the dot-com world from 1998-2001 and in 2000 carried more advertising pages than any magazine in history. She has been a writer and editor for magazines including New York, Rolling Stone, Wired, and many more, as well as a screenwriter and producer.

Panel: Content: Creating Kick-Ass Multimedia Content

Photo: Credit Chris Rochelle

Babette Pepaj

Babette Pepaj (@BakeSpace) is the founder and CEO of BakeSpace.com (2010 and 2009 Webby Award Nominee for “Best Social Network”). Prior to launching the site, Babette worked for more than a decade producing and directing reality TV such as MTV’s “The Real World” and “Road Rules.” She is a recurring guest expert on Fox Business Channel and an expert on branded content.

Panels: Monetizing: How to Make Money: Everything You Need to Know About RFPs and Selling Ads on Your Site

Sean Percival

Sean Percival (@percival) is the Vice President, Online Marketing at MySpace.com; formerly with Tsavo, Mahalo and Docstoc. Percival taps the real-time web to identify and develop content around today’s biggest Internet trends. He’s been featured in Forbes and LAWeekly ‘People of the Year’ issue and numerous other publication for his ability to develop and monetize social networks. Sean Percival is the author of MySpace Marketing and The Second Life Travel Guide, both from Que publishing.

Panel: Socializing Content: How to Make Readers Passionate About Your Content

Penny De Los Santos

Penny De Los Santos (@pennydelsantos) is a professional photographer who specializes in travel, food and people. She is a senior contributing photographer at Saveur Magazine as well as a contributing photographer to National Geographic and other national based magazines. You can see her portfolio at http://www.pennydelossantos.com.

Panel: Content: Creating Kick-Ass Multimedia Content

Brett Erlich

Brett Erlich (@bretterlich) is a host and producer at Current TV. Currently he hosts The Rotten Tomatoes Show, a movie review series available online and via VOD, as well as the new host for Current TV’s Infomania. Brett won a Webby Award for Viral Video Film School, a biweekly comedic look at hilarious trends in online video.

Panel: Socializing Content: How to Make Readers Passionate About Your Content

Nadia Giosia

Nadia Giosia (@bitchinkitchen) is the principal web strategist, brand manager, designer, creator, writer, producer and host of ‘Bitchin’ Kitchen’ on Cooking Channel. She made herstory in 2010: becoming the first lifestyle hostess/web entrepreneur in North America to successfully transition from online to primetime television — both in the USA and Canada. Masterminding all aspects of her brand’s development from community management to merch and beyond, G embodies the “American Dream v2.0”.

Panel: Content: Creating Kick-Ass Multimedia Content

Sarah Evans

Sarah Evans (PRsarahevans) is owner of Sevans Strategy a public relations and new media consultancy. A self-described “social media freak,” Sarah initiated and moderates #journchat, the weekly—and first-ever—industry live chat between PR professionals, journalists and bloggers on the microblogging platform, Twitter.

She runs her own blog at PRsarahevans.com, shares a free, daily resource for PR professionals. Sarah can be seen in the February 2010 edition of Vanity Fair’s America’s Tweethearts, Forbes’ 14 Power Women to Follow on Twitterand Entreprenuer’s Top 10 Hot Startups of 2010.

Panel: Getting Noticed: Building your PR Plan

Eric Schwartzman

Eric Schwartzman (@EricSchwartzman) is coauthor of Social Marketing to the Business Customer, the first book devoted exclusively to B2B social media communications. He has been conducting monthly social media training programs for PRSA since 2006 and works as an independent online communications consultant to businesses, the US Military, government agencies and nonprofits.

Eric specializes in online communications strategy, social media policy development and accelerating social media literacy within organizations. He is a frequenter speaker at professional conferences and has been producing the award-winning podcast “On the Record…Online”, which focuses on how technology is changing the way organizations communicate, since April 2005. See more at EricSchwartzman.com

Panel: Getting Noticed: Building your PR Plan

Rene Lynch

Rene Lynch (@renelynch) is the assistant food editor at the L.A. Times. She has worked at the paper for 18 years, with stints in the sports, business, metro and entertainment sections. If old media is on the ropes, no one told Rene: She says there’s never been a better time to be a journalist. She’s a marathon runner (not because she likes to run, but because she likes to eat). You can also see her tweeting at @latimesfood or read her articles at The Daily Dish.

Panel: Publicity: How to Leverage Traditional Media and get on a Food Editors Radar

Jeff Houck

Jeff Houck (@jeffhouck) is the food editor for the Tampa Tribune. He also writes The Stew food blog (www.tinyurl.com/TheStew and hosts the Table Conversations podcast (www.tinyurl.com/TableConversations) for TBO.com and reports for WFLA NewsChannel 8. In 2008, The Stew was named Best Blog by the Society of Professional Journalists. In 2009 he was named Best Media Tweeter by Creative Loafing.

Panel: Publicity: How to Leverage Traditional Media and get on a Food Editors Radar

Erik Deutsch

Erik Deutsch (@erikdeutsch) is a media strategist with more than 15 years of experience in PR and buzz marketing. As principal of ExcelPR Group, he has created award-winning campaigns for tech, healthcare and entertainment clients. An early adopter of online tactics, he helped launch Interactive PR News in 1995 as the first national newsletter on new media for PR pros. Erik teaches social media best practices at UCLA Extension and currently blogs at www.PRmashup.com.

Panel: Getting Noticed: Building your PR Plan

Cathy Brooks

Cathy Brooks (@cathybrooks) life-long passion for communications began well before her first job ripping wire copy in 1982 and has evolved over the years to encompass nearly every platform and aspect of media — from reporting and editing to broadcast management, talent casting and guest booking. She also has curated content for several of the technology industry’s most influential conferences. Currently running her own consulting firm in San Francisco, Cathy spends her days saturated in new media and the digital realm, helping companies navigate the crowded landscape of new technologies and platforms.

Panel: Balancing Multiple Identities

Jessica Randazza

Jessica Randazza (@JessicaRandazza) is a long-time social media strategist and community manager. She joined the New York Digitas team in 2010 where she’s put her skills to use on the KitchenAid and Jenn-Air brands, leveraging her existing relationships to cultivate deep and meaningful communities. She also leads the agency’s efforts to develop strategies for many of the clients on the Digitas roster, including American Express, Kraft, Whirlpool, and Delta.

Panel: How to Attract Awesome Brands and Build Partnerships

Doug Chavez

Doug Chavez (@dougchavez) does Digital Marketing at Del Monte Foods. Doug is a brand marketing and media expert with over 10 years of traditional and digital media experience. He has worked with brands such as McDonald’s, Kodak, Visa, and Yahoo to strengthen their market presence and positioning. He has received a number of industry awards including a Cannes Cyber Lion, Yahoo!’s Purple Chair, London International Award and a PROMO Magazine award.

Panel: How to Attract Awesome Brands and Build Partnerships

Michael Bepko

Michael Bepko (@bepkoboy) is a Social Media Strategist at Whole Foods Market.

Panel: How to Attract Awesome Brands and Build Partnerships

Nichelle Stephens

Nichelle Stephens (@niche) is the co-founding editor of Cupcakes Take The Cake, the most popular blog about cupcakes. Nichelle is a blogger, cupcake enthusiast, editor, event organizer and social media strategist. She is also the editor of the NAACP Image Award winning Pepsi We Inspire, a branded lifestyle blog and community for African American women.

Panel: Modern Syndication: Appetite for Apps (Mobile Syndication)

Tanya Edwards

Tanya Edwards (@Misstanya) is the Director of Recipes and Cooking at Foodnetwork.com. A former Editorial Director at AOL, where she launched AOLhealth.com, ParentDish.com, Thatsfit.com and contributed to the overall creative vision of AOL Living. She also managed AOL Food and the Slashfood blog, and spearheaded the strategy and vision behind the new cooking offering Kitchendaily.com.

Panel: Modern Syndication: Appetite for Apps (Mobile Syndication

Brian Witlin

Brian Witlin (@bwitlin) is a serial entrepreneur who integrates his role of running ShopWell while holding a Lecturer position at Stanford University’s Hasso Platner Institute of Design. Brian also currently serves as a mentor at 500 Startups, a new seed venture fund and advises a number of startups including Insidr, DiamondMMA, LiquidFare, and IDEO’s Entrepreneurship Initiative. Brian holds a M.S. in Engineering and Design from Stanford University and a B.S. in Business and Economics from Lehigh University. Brian is a classically trained artist/draftsman, an avid cyclist, and has a love for his hometown Chicago-style hotdogs and deep-dish pizza.

Panel: Modern Syndication: Appetite for Apps (Mobile Syndication

Kat Kinsman

Kat Kinsman (@kittenwithawhip) is the Managing Editor of CNN’s Eatocracy food blog and former senior editor at AOL Food and Slashfood.

Panel: Publicity: How to Leverage Traditional Media and get on a Food Editors Radar

Amy Cao

Amy Cao (@amyblogschow) is Head of Social Media at Foodspotting, online video producer at Next New Networks and Founder at AmyBlogsChow.com. Amy’s past experience includes Contributing Writer at Tasting Table, Contributing Writer at Midtown Lunch, Contributing Writer at Zagat Survey and Editor at VendrTV.

Panel: Modern Syndication: Appetite for Apps (Mobile Syndication

Jeremy Fisher

Jeremy Fisher (@jeremyhfisher) is the Founder and CEO of Dinevore and a native New Yorker. Before starting Dinevore, Jeremy studied Philosophy at Bates College and worked at Morgan Stanley in New York and Silicon Valley. An avid traveler, he’s eaten his way across nearly 30 countries. He’s been a fan of dinosaurs for as long as he can remember.

Panel: Modern Syndication: Appetite for Apps (Mobile Syndication

Marc Matsumoto

Marc Matsumoto (@norecipes) is an food blogger and photographer who spreads his passion for food through his websites norecipes.com andwanderingcook.com. For Marc, food is a life long journey of exploration, discovery and experimentation and he shares his escapades online, in the hopes that he inspires others to find their own culinary adventures. Having successfully grown the technical infrastructure of his own blog as traffic has increased, Marc helps other bloggers secure and scale their blogs to minimize their downtime, regardless of spikes in traffic.

Panel: Infrastructure: Build it & They will Come: How to Scale Your Site so it Doesn’t Break

Rick Bakas

Rick Bakas (@Rickbakas) is an Author, Certified Sommelier and Brand Strategist, Rick Bakas is globally recognized as a thought leader in the world of wine and social media. As the first Director of Social Media in the wine industry, he influenced new ideas and new concepts that connect wineries to new consumers through tweetup tours and global online wine tastings. Rick specializes in translating personal and corporate brands to new media. He is an adviser at Bakas Media, a new media branding agency in San Francisco.

Panel: Palate Bootcamp & Wine Tasting

Anna Gonzales

Anna Gonzalez (@WebAnna) began her career in media as an editorial assistant for Today’s Dallas Woman magazine. After interning with CNN during the Democratic National Convention, she knew she wanted to work in television. Her time at the CBS station in Dallas led her to report nightly on technology and new media trends. Now, as an assignment editor for CNN, she continues to keep up with innovations in technology that serve journalists. Anna also shoots, writes and edits professional and personal content, which continues to be one of her passions.

Addie Broyles (@broylesa) is the food writer for the Austin American-Statesmanand is a leader in the Central Texas food blogging community, which has more than 200 food blogs by her last count, and has been named one of the top food writers on Twitter on Mashable.com.

In Relish Austin, a column and food blog for the Austin American-Statesman, she writes about everything from farmers to food tattoos, blackberry pie to barbecues. Addie was recently named by Tribeza magazine as one of the top 10 people in Austin to watch in 2011, and the Austin Chronicle picked her as the top food celebrity in the city.

Panel: Publicity: How to Leverage Traditional Media and get on a Food Editors Radar

Jenna Oltersdorf

Jenna Gruhala Oltersdorf (@jennasnacks) has managed and executed programs for sole proprietorships up to major international corporations and her agency experience ranges from a small firm in St. Louis to working at the Chicago headquarters of the largest independently owned PR firm in the world. And, before the age of 30, she launched Snackbox with her husband and business partner, Eric Oltersdorf. When she’s not making PR magic for her clients, Jenna drag races Corvettes, experiments in the kitchen and plays video games. You can also find her at @NomNomist.

Erik Trinidad (@Fancyfastfood) is the creator of the tongue-in-cheek recipe blog “Fancy Fast Food” (even though he isn’t a trained chef), where fast food chains collide with the gourmet world by way of extreme food makeovers — and without any additional ingredients (other than an occasional garnish). Erik has showcased his creations on Nightline and Rachael Ray, and will soon be appearing on The Cooking Channel’s Food(ography). He is currently working on the Fancy Fast Food book due out in the summer of 2011 (Sterling & Ross Publishers).

Panel: Branding: Creating your Empire & Building Your Personal Brand

Stefanie Michaels

Stefanie Michaels (@adventuregirl) is a renowned lifestyle/travel personality. She’s the author of “Adventure Girl’s Guide to Finding Adventure…Without Breaking a Nail.” Stefanie is Access Hollywood’s reoccurring travel expert and has been a contributing writer for the Huffington Post, People Magazine and has appeared on shows across the U.S. such as Wake Up with Al. Other television accolades include a regular stint as an expert for travel and social media for E! Entertainment’s That Morning Show, and a special guest appearance for The Rachael Ray Show’s tech segment. In 2011, Michaels was dubbed “America’s Tweetheart” by Vanity Fair Magazine for having over a million followers on Twitter.

Panel: Branding: Creating your Empire & Building Your Personal Brand

Gaby Dalkin

Gaby Dalkin (@whatsgabycookin) is the chef and founder behind What’s Gaby Cooking (www.whatsgabycooking.com), which specializes in simple and sassy gourmet. Gaby is a personal chef in Malibu, where she cooks for a variety of clients including celebrities and professional athletes. In 2009, Gaby founded the National Food Bloggers Bake Sale, an annual event where food bloggers from across the country come together to hold bake sales in their states to support Share Our Strength. Gaby also films her own online cooking show at Good Bite.

Panel: Branding: Creating your Empire & Building Your Personal Brand

Melody Pepaj

Melody Pepaj (@comedyspeakeasy) is VP of new media at BakeSpace.com and the founder of ComedySpeakeasy.com, the Web’s first live streaming and interactive comedy club. Melody also teaches a series of new media classes for publishers to learn the ins and outs of live broadcasting whether it’s in your home or on location.

Panel: The Digital Kitchen: How to Create Your Own Cooking Show and Live Steam on the Web

Amanda Coolong

Amanda Coolong (@acoolong) is CCO, executive producer and chief correspondent at TechZulu. Amanda also brings her collective industry knowledge and contacts to a select group of clients under her consulting brand, Beta PR. She specializes in the creation of integrated marketing and PR campaigns tailored to the early-stage startup. She has over a decade of experience bringing technology brands to market on an international scale. Amanda graduated Summa Cum Laude from Emerson College with a Bachelor of Science in Speech degree.

Panel: The Digital Kitchen: How to Create Your Own Cooking Show and Live Steam on the Web

Efren Toscano

Efren Toscano (@efren) Co-Founded TechZulu in the heart of Southern California: Orange County. Focused on providing a platform to showcase all that is happening here in Southern California in the tech and media space, TechZulu is rapidly growing to be the hub for Southern California technology companies news source. The site’s videos have been featured on Southern California’s cbs2 and Efren has been selected as a Top 20 MostPublic Individuals in Los Angeles in Tech and Biz by NowPublic and the annual LA Weekly: LA People of 2009.

Panel: The Digital Kitchen: How to Create Your Own Cooking Show and Live Steam on the Web

Andrew Warner

Andrew Warner (@mixergy) is an internet entrepreneur and founder of Mixergy.com, an online community of entrepreneurs and highly regarded online speakers speaker series. Andrew has interviewed some of the biggest names in business and technology including Jimmy Wales, Gary Vaynerchuk, Timothy Ferris, Paul Graham and more. See his full list of interviews here -

Panel: Content: Creating Kick-Ass Multimedia Content

Emily Clavalier

Emily Cavalier (@EmilysPearl) is the founder of Mouth of the Border, an online community for lovers of ethnic food and culture in New York City. She’s also the hostess, chef and founder of Midnight Brunch supper club.

Emily consults on social media/event projects with food and food media brands and develops and executes business development campaigns and major sponsorships in the corporate event industry. Emily currently consults on social media and event projects with Conde Nast’s Gourmet Live and The Vendy Awards, as well as with several boutique spirit brands.